Optical profession welcomes call for integrated primary care

NHS England has highlighted the crucial role of primary eyecare and other community specialisms. A major report, aiming to shape the future of integrated care systems (ICSs) and primary care networks (PCNs), seeks to help them use the capacity and expertise of primary care to its full extent.

Five national optical representative bodies, including ABDO, have welcomed Next steps for integrating primary care: Fuller Stocktake report. Author Dr Claire Fuller, chief executive designate of Surrey Heartlands Integrated Care System (ICS) said: “Primary care must be at the heart of each of our new” ICSs.

The report sets out a vision for primary care: 

• Offering streamlined access to care and advice where people need it.
• Providing more proactive, personalised care with support from a multi-disciplinary team. 
• Helping people to stay well for longer.

In the NHS, it says, “the majority of our effort is focused on treating people who have already become sick. We need to create a sense of urgency around providing proactive care and improving outcomes for our population”.

Optometry and dispensing optics’ role in ‘making every contact count’ includes offering stop smoking advice in Healthy Living Optical Practices. Primary eyecare sees more than 20m patients every year.